Tuesday, October 23, 2007

To each their own

I am a one page layout kinda gal. Back in the day, I thought one pagers were lame and could not imagine filling an album with one photo/one layouts. Ahem, boy have I crossed the street!

I started scrapping like most others through CM but left the flock shortly thereafter when I discovered the lss not too far from school. A stamp catalog also led me astray with its fun layouts and borders and just a couple of pictures per layout.

I think what finally did me in was working on DTs. The goal of designing for a site is two fold as I see it: sell the product and show various ways to use it! The more layouts a person can do to do this, the more product will be sold. I now design backwards in addition to doing one pagers almost exclusively. I get the papers, embellishments etc., create the layout and then find the picture to go with it...or pictures, which brings me to my next point.

I believe that a one page layout can serve the same purpose as a two page spread in most instances. There are so many ways to include many photos on a one pager just like on two. This is far more of a fun challenge to me, than trying to do a two pager that has balance, focus and continuity.

Because I create my layouts differently, I have found myself taking pictures differently as well. Instead of taking 25 shots at my great nieces recent 6th. b'day here, I focused on her and the joy in her face. The fact there was a cake (took a pic) and many presents (took a pic) and lots of us here to celebrate (took a picture) was plenty and these few could be incorporated into a mini album on the larger page. The best shot I got out of the few I took is priceless...Kaela with a huge bow on her head! Adding any other pics to this one would detract from the oh too cute-ness of that one shot.

Yes, I still do a double page spread from time to time but it is a real stretch for me. I still keep a chronological album of our adventures and numerous other albums for other things but you can count the two pagers on one hand.

That being said, I understand those who do two page layouts and their reasons for doing them and honor their choice. And as for journaling...well, let's talk about that another day! lol

4 comments:

It is funny you approached this today as I just posted a 2 pg lo a bit ago. I don't normally do 2 pg lo's myself, only if there is too many pix to get on one lo - but what I have found is that there are some photos that really "speak" to me and those are the ones I focus on to do more of an "art" on - so to say. Some pages I just do to get the photos done, out of the pkg and into a book, but there are the special photos that really mean more to me that I put a lot more time, energy, and creative thought into. Those pages are my works of art whereas the others are just scrapbooking... if that makes ANY sense at all!? LOLDarla